Zorya Londonsk

Very soon the Ukraine national football team will take to the pitch at London's Wembley Stadium to play their first UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match against England.

Meanwhile, Ukraine keeps fighting in the war against Russian invaders, which began in 2014. Ukrainian football fans will not be able to support their team during this qualifying campaign, as 80% of them are currently at the front, with the remaining 20% working for the front and victory in the back.

Like in any other war, active hostilities with the superior enemy forces inflict heavy losses. Currently, over 160 active football fans, who will never return to their families, have been reported. They loved life, their close ones, and their football teams, but this insidious war left them with no choice.

To support the families of the football fans who have fallen in the war, the "Stands of Heroes" charitable foundation was established. It collects donations and provides financial assistance to the families where wives and mothers will never see their husbands and sons again, where children will never hug their dads or go to the stadium to see their first football match with them.

To ensure that the children of the fallen defenders receive regular assistance, the "Благодійний фонд «Трибуна Героїв»" foundation requires ongoing financial support. That's why we appeal to football fans, the Ukrainian diaspora in the UK, and all those who care to support our initiative.

Give a helping hand to those whose loved ones have given the most precious – their lives – in the fight for the freedom of their country.

https://www.standsofheroes.com/en

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Вже незабаром національна збірна України з футболу вийде на поле лондонського стадіону «Вемблі», де зустрінеться зі збірною Англії в своєму першому матчі відбору до Чемпіонату Європи 2024 року.

В цей час в Україні триває війна проти російських окупантів, яка почалася ще в 2014 році. Українські футбольні фанати не зможуть підтримати свою збірну в матчах цієї відбіркової кваліфікації, адже 80 відсотків з них просто зараз перебувають на фронті. Інші 20% працюють заради фронту та перемоги.

Та як і в будь-якій іншій війні, активні бойові дії з переважаючими силами ворога несуть за собою важкі втрати. Наразі відомо про понад 160 активних футбольних фанатів, котрі вже ніколи не повернуться до своїх сімей. Вони любили життя, близьких та свої футбольні команди, але підступно розв'язана війна не залишила їм вибору.

Для підтримки сімей загиблих на війні футбольних фанатів було засновано благодійний фонд "Трибуна Героїв". Ця ініціатива збирає пожертви та надає фінансову допомогу сім'ям, чиї чоловіки та сини вже ніколи не побачать гру улюбленої команди з фанатського сектору. Сім'ям, в яких діти більше ніколи не побачать свого тата, не сходять із ним на стадіон вперше в житті.

Для того, аби діти загиблих захисників могли отримувати допомогу на регулярній основі, фонду "Трибуна Героїв" необхідна постійна фінансова підтримка. Саме тому ми звертаємося до футбольних уболівальників, української діаспори Великобританії та просто всіх небайдужих із проханням про допомогу нашій ініціативі.

Підтримайте тих, чиї близькі віддали найдорожче у боротьбі за свободу своєї країни. Допоможіть дітям, які вже ніколи не подивляться футбол разом зі своїм татом, братом, сином.

EXCL ‼️✍️

El Paso Locomotive have acquired Denys Kostyshyn from FC Oleksandriya 🇺🇦🇺🇸

Official confirmation to follow shortly 🔜

Artem Kholod now has a fellow Ukrainian teammate with him at the USL side 🤝

‘Through hunger & war, Ukrainians will not be defeated’

WE REMEMBER 🕯🌾

Today is Holodomor Rememberance Day!

5 million + Ukrainians were starved to death during the Genocide by Hunger orchestrated by stalin in 1932-33

‘Hammer & sickle = Death & hunger’

90 years on, russia is committing genocide in 🇺🇦 AGAIN!

The common theme amongst most Ukrainian club Ultras banners / gestures in remembrance for the millions of victims in the Holodomor over the years:

Ukrainians have & will remain defiant against those who try eradicate them on their own land!

🕯️🌾🇺🇦

EURO 2024 Q GROUP C IS COMPLETE 🇪🇺🇩🇪

Italy 🇮🇹
England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Ukraine 🇺🇦
North Macedonia 🇲🇰
Malta 🇲🇹

It’s going to be tough but it’s NOT impossible

Roll on the campaign next year!

How do you rate Ukraine’s chances?

Our THIRD attempt at decommunising this bench outside the Bernabeu (in 3 years)🫡😮‍💨🇺🇦

However, they love restoring this ussr crap up every year so we have to make the pilgrimage pre game to ‘fix’ it up again!

Nice to see a sticker we stuck way back in 2020 still surviving on a nearby lamppost though

Added a few new ones too 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

Adios Madrid 👋🇪🇸

RUSTAM KHUDZHAMOV - A UKRAINIAN GK LEGEND 🧤🇺🇦

Just bumped into former FC Mariupol, Shakhtar & Ukraine NT GK (amongst others) Rustam Khudzhamov in Madrid

Turns out it’s his 40th birthday today too but we found that out after!

З Днем Народження, Рустаме 🎂

A pleasure to spend a few minutes with the fervent Ukrainian patriot, current Polissya GK coach and highly successful goalkeeper glove entrepreneur (his brand ‘Brave GK’ are worn by many elite goalkeepers & will be sported by Lunin for RM tonight)

Khudzhamov is also never scared to speak his mind about multiple controversies in Ukrainian football and has long made his pro Ukrainian position known especially with him being part Crimean Tatar too!

We asked him about today’s game (RM V SD) and whilst we are both hoping for a positive result he added ‘it certainly won’t be straightforward’

We can only hope! 😅🤞

Big thanks to his son for taking the pic too!

(2nd slide - a throwback to our visit to Volodymyr Boyko stadium in Mariupol last summer where his image remained on the walls)

Mariupol is Ukraine
Crimea is Ukraine
Donbas is Ukraine
Kherson is Ukraine
Zaporizhya is Ukraine

🇺🇦🧤🇺🇦🧤🇺🇦🧤🇺🇦

OFFICIAL 🇺🇦🇪🇸🇵🇹

Ukraine has joined Spain & Portugal’s bid to jointly host 2030 World Cup

Full details are not yet known as to how much Ukraine will host of this tournament BUT The Times believe they intend to host one group during the group stages of the tournament (6 teams)

This is all subject to conditions being safe following 🇺🇦 expected victory in War

ANY AIRPORT READING OR LISTENING RECOMMENDATIONS? 👀🎵📝🛫

Currently on a little layover in Athens before we head onto our next destination this international break 😉

What did we stumble upon in WHSmiths at the airport you say?

None other than the latest issue of magazine!

FEATURING our very own article on FC Mariupol which includes an in-depth interview with club Vice President Andriy Sanin!

It’s been out for a few weeks now so get yours ASAP (in the UK or abroad) before next month’s edition is released in a few days time!

What a privilege it was to be asked to write such an emotional piece for the biggest football magazine in the world & convey the importance and weight of the tragic tale of Mariupol (the city & club) at the hands of russian terrorism!

Before flying out again we‘ve only gone and bumped into Sasha aka lead singer from .band here too 🐐🇺🇦

Sasha was lovely! We wished her luck on the next leg of the charity tour and she wished us the same for our next assignment ⚽️

Whilst it was a shame about the result last night we also had the pleasure write a feature for yday’s official Scotland NT matchday programme 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇦

Charting the story of the ‘happier’ trip (for Ukraine) here back in June 😅

The Pot Still was a bit sweaty last night as we toasted to Azovstal POWs so mind the shine

The article also featuring a legendary Ally McCoist anecdote that we managed to confirm in the flesh ! 😉

Thanks for all the support everyone!

Let’s continue to keep getting the word out about what’s happening in Ukraine at the hands of russian evil through the prism of Ukrainian football in these troubled times!

💙💛

REST IN PEACE QUEEN ELIZABETH II 🇬🇧👑🇬🇧

Вічная Пам’ять 🙏

WHAT A RESULT FOR SHAKHTAR & 🇺🇦!

RB Leipzig 1-4 Shakhtar FT

Not many saw this coming today but it’s a seismic one for Ukrainian football!

Shakhtar & Jovicevic prove that Ukrainian youth can get the job done without the Brazilians 🇺🇦

A stunning second half display today!

MAN OF THE MOMENT? ✨

Mykhaylo Mudryk🤯

Just under a year ago he was given a standing ovation at the Bernabeu

However we think TONIGHT he finally made a UCL match his OWN!

Energy, sharpness, composure - he’s been working on all of that lately with extra training sessions

🅰️🅰️ & ⚽️ to show for it

Mudryk - THE STATS v RB Leipzig

90’ ⏱
1 Goal ⚽️
2 Assists 🅰️
2 Chances created 🤝
2/3 Successful dribbles 🏃‍♂️
7/11 Pass Completion ✅
100% Shot Accuracy 🎯

He didn’t have much time on the ball today but every time he did he created or scored!

Minimal input, Maximum output 🔥

So much to touch on too!

A brace for Shved tonight showed that he’s very much still got some quality (& luck) left in his locker!

He was sharp and took the chances he was offered today!

Something that SD have maybe lacked recently!

He’ll be relishing Celtic next week

Overall a composed defensive display from Shakhtar

Granted that Leipzig rarely threatened despite their attempts to create chances but probably deserved their one goal before Shakhtar decided they weren’t going to be run over!

What a difference a year makes!

Remember Sheriff?

Mykolenko emptying his pockets today v Liverpool 😅

Everton 0-0 Liverpool

Mykolenko with a superb performance at LB not letting the Egyptian getting a sniff!

Making a habit of it now 🙅‍♂️